Jim Brown, who over the last 57 years has learned a thing or two about running the football, says the Browns’ 2014 run offense is “like night and day” compared to a year ago.
“I didn’t think we wanted a running game last year,” Brown said after watching practice on Aug. 15. “Willis McGahee is a great friend of mine, but Willis was old and he had been injured. I didn’t understand it.”
Ben Tate, rookie Terrance West and rookie Isaiah Crowell are new to the Browns’ backfield this year. Tate is listed first on the depth chart. But after practice on Aug. 16. Coach Mike Pettine said he wants West to get playing time with the first team in the preseason game against the Redskins on Aug. 18.
Last season, Trent Richardson was traded to the Colts after two games. The Browns had to go to their emergency list and came up with McGahee, who was out of work after playing 10 years. McGahee played in 12 games for the Browns with six starts and averaged 2.7 yards a carry on 138 tries.
“These youngsters here have the speed, the quickness, the size and the attitude,” Brown said. “They’re very open to me, and I appreciate their respect. I feel just by being their friend I can maybe help them every once in a while with things they might be struggling with — stay out of their way but also be useful. But I like the talent, and I think it is night and day between last year and this year.”
Brown played for the Browns from 1957-65. He retired as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher with 12,312 yards rushing. He walks with a cane but is captivating as ever when he speaks.
Brown, 77, is now the Browns’ special adviser. He won’t choose between Tate and West. The game against the Redskins is important to Tate and West, but also important for Chris Ogbonnaya, Crowell and Edwin Baker as they contend for a third running back job.
“I like (Tate and West),” Brown said. “I like the attitude they have. I like their ability. But I’m going to be watching them. They’re going to show me what they really have. It’s too early for me to make a bunch of statements about guys I’ve seen in two practices and one exhibition game. I haven’t had enough time to give a real lowdown on what I truly think.”
Skrine out
The Browns are hurting in the secondary.
Buster Skrine will miss the rest of preseason with a thumb injury. Coach Mike Pettine is hopeful Skrine will be ready for the regular season.
“I think if you were ranking guys at how good of a camp they’ve had, he’d be right up there at the top,” Pettine said. “He goes out every day, competes, a smile on his face, loves to play. He’s had his share of mistakes. I think the holding stuff has quieted down ever since Haf (secondary coach Jeff Hafley) and those guys put the (kick-boxing) gloves on them. I think he’s a guy that’s improved. He loves to compete, and he doesn’t just want to hand the job over to Justin Gilbert.
“I don’t think you can have enough corners in today’s NFL, and Buster’s a guy that’s going to have an important role for us.”
The Browns are waiting to learn whether Skrine will need surgery. If he does, his return might be pushed back from Sept. 7.
Isaiah Trufant will miss the game against the Redskins with a knee injury. He would have been the nickel back if healthy.
Defensive back K’Waun Williams (hamstring) and cornerback Aaron Berry (groin) will also miss the game against Washington.
“We might play without a nickel and just play with a third safety,” Pettine said. “(DB Robert) Nelson’s another guy that could play inside if he had to. He’s been primarily playing outside. That’s all stuff that we need to get with (Browns head athletic trainer) Joe Sheehan and see where we are health-wise and go ahead and build a lineup accordingly.”
Gilbert, the eighth pick of the 2014 draft, will start at right cornerback.
Bryant out
Defensive end Desmond Bryant will miss the game because of his wrist injury. Pettine said surgery might be required. Bryant does not wear a brace or wrap on his wrist unless he is practicing. He has not practiced since Aug. 11.
Fight breaks out
The biggest fight of training camp broke out on Aug. 16. It started with a shoving match between offensive Mitchell Schwartz and linebacker Justin Staples and then escalated to about 30 players. At one point Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas was on the bottom of a pile of about a ton of beefy players.
Pettine was so steamed he halted practice and made the entire team run wind sprints.
“I just thought it went a little too far,” Pettine said. “I understand and have spoken on fights before. That’s going to happen sometimes. That’s the price of doing business, but I thought we got out of the realm of being good teammates.
“Also, I just think overall practice to that point was a little too sloppy for my liking. It was kind of a culmination of the sloppiness and then the length of the fight. The thing I was pleased about was how they responded after. I thought they were sharp. They were focused.”
The players will not be back on the practice fields of Berea until Aug. 20.